PARIS: France said on Friday it would suspend a programme receiving Palestinians from conflict-torn Gaza until an investigation was concluded into how a student accused of sharing `antisemitic’ posts was allowed into the country.

The move comes after officials said the female student from Gaza would have to leave France after the Sciences Po university in the northern city of Lille revoked her accreditation over the online posts.

“No evacuation of any kind will take place until we have drawn conclusions from this investigation,” Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told Franceinfo radio.

All those who have entered France from Gaza will undergo a second screening, he added.

The foreign ministry said it could not disclose how many people would be affected by the policy change, citing confidentiality concerns.

France has helped more than 500 people leave Gaza, including wounded children, journalists, students and artists.

“France cannot suspend its policy of welcoming evacuated Gazans: our common humanity is at stake,” said Arthur Delaporte, spokesman for the opposition Socialist Party, on X.

Lille’s general prosecutor said on Thursday that a judicial probe has been opened against the student for allegedly trying to “justify terrorism” and “justify a crime against humanity”.

Barrot confirmed she must leave France, noting that talks were ongoing to determine her destination.

`Just two minutes’

The 25-year-old woman was due to start studying at France’s prestigious Sciences Po in the fall as part of a government scholarship programme for students from Gaza.

A French diplomatic source said the student arrived in France on July 11 on a scholarship based on “academic excellence” and after “security checks”.

But now she will have to leave the country after pro-Israel accounts on X resurfaced posts she shared in September, including an image of Adolf Hitler and words appearing to call for the death of Jews.

Published in Dawn, Aug 2nd, 2025